[The role of T2*-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance sequences in the study of suspected dorsal-lumbosacral vertebral metastases].
BACKGROUND
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed high reliability in detecting spine metastases with spin-echo (SE) sequences, T1-weighted sequences being generally more sensitive than T/-weighted ones. We investigated the value of T2*-weighted gradient-echo (GE) sequences in studying spine metastases.


METHODS
Twenty patients with established diagnosis of primary carcinoma and clinically suspected thoracic and/or lumbosacral spine metastases underwent .5-T MR imaging and 99mTc-HDP bone scan. The disagreement of GET2*- versus SET2-weighted images as well as versus bone scan and the disagreement of total MR results versus bone scan results were evaluated by McNemar test. The agreement of GET2*- versus SET1-weighted images was evaluated by Cohen's kappa.


RESULTS
Of a total of 111 MR signal abnormalities consistent with metastasis, 109 (98.2%) were T2*-hyperintense, whereas only 50 (45.1%) were T2-hyperintense (p < .0001) and 51 (45.9%) were detected with bone scan (p < .0001). Of a total of 121 MR and/or bone scan findings consistent with metastasis, 111 (91.7%) were MR positive, with high disagreement with 61 (50.4%) positive at bone scan (p < .00001). T2*-hyperintensity associated with T1-hypointensity (with or without T2-hyperintensity) was the most frequent pattern (104/111), 93.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
T2*-weighted GE sequences seem to be more effective than T2-weighted SE sequences and as effective as T1-weighted SE sequences. MR imaging confirms its ability in detecting abnormalities consistent with spine metastases.
Sardanelli
F
F
Istituto di Radiologia, Università di Genova. sardanelli@smartino.ge.it
Melani
E
E
Sabattini
R
R
Parodi
R C
RC
Castaldi
A
A
Rescinito
G
G
Mariani
G
G
Luzzani
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012447:Sacrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C024226:technetium Tc 99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
Ruolo delle sequenze di Risonanza Magnetica gradient-echo T2*-pesate nello studio delle sospette metastasi vertebrali dorso-lombosacrali.